Radiological Evaluation of Vertebral Column Injuries in Dogs Referred to Tehran Hospitals and Veterinary Clinics

Vertebral column injuries are very common and vary in severity and prognosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the spine for abnormal curvature of the spine, such as scoliosis and kyphosis and osteoarthritis of the intervertebral joints and the collapse (degeneration) of the discs between the bones of the spine and other abnormality in dogs.

In this study, the osteoarthrosis of the intervertebral joints and the collapse (degeneration) of the discs between the bones of the spine and spinal injuries, in radiographs of the vertebrae was examined. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between these injuries with age, sex and the breed of dogs referred to clinics and hospitals in Tehran during a period of 2 years (2020-2021). 

The incidence of spinal disorders in different age groups during the study period was 17.89% in the age group 0 to 5 years, 49.75% for age group 6 to 10 years and 32.36% for age group 11 to 15 years. The incidence of spinal disorders in different sexes during the study period was 39.80% in males and 60.20% in females.

This study revealed that the probability of suffering from primary vertebral injuries increased with the dog's age and the percentage of vertebral problems in females is higher than males.